I'm Yours
by amy9352
Summary: Bella meets Paul while visiting her father for the summer. A love story. Paul will fight to prove that Bella belongs by his side.
1. Chapter 1

**Let me start of by saying this is the first thing I have ever written. The idea popped in my head a couple of days ago and I thought "why not"? I'm not a writer or an English major. Just a fan of Twilight. I do not have this story all planned out. I have the first chapter written and have started the second and I have a few other ideas for this story. I don't know how often I'll update. I guess it will depend on if readers like it or not. I don't have a beta or pre-reader so this first chapter is probably full of errors. If I get a good response and people want me to continue, I will try to find one. I was actually encouraged to get one, but decided I really just wanted to see if people liked my idea first. So please let me know and please try not to be too critical of my punctuation and grammar at this point. **

**Chapter One**

Bella was driving towards La Push, on her way to visit her childhood friend Jacob and his father Billy Black. Her father and Billy had been the best of friends since long before she was even born. Bella had arrived in forks the evening prior and would be spending the summer with her father before returning to Phoenix to complete her senior year of high school.

Pulling up in front of the little red house, she couldn't help feeling excited. She loved Jacob and Billy like family and it had been a year since she had seen them. Sliding out of the cab of her truck, she saw the front door open and a large hunk of a man step out.

"Bells" he called walking towards her.

She couldn't help the wide smile that spread across her face when she recognized that it was Jake.

"Jacob…Look at you. You look great!" She said throwing her arms around his neck as his wrapped around her waist hugging her.

He lifted her against him and his face buried in her hair as he breathed in her scent.

"It's good to have you back Bells. I've missed you." And he meant it.

He spent every year between summers counting down days until her return. She had owned his heart since they were kids and he hoped with everything inside him that one day she would feel the same.

"You've gotten so…big." She said awkwardly with a soft giggle.

He grinned pulling back from the hug and taking a good look at her. Damn, she's beautiful he thought. She always had been and seemed to only grow more beautiful every year. Jacob's eyes met hers and he couldn't help the disappointment he felt when nothing happened. It had been his prayer that he would imprint on her. Bella was still smiling her beautiful smile at him when a throat cleared from behind them.

Paul had been at the Black's house along with Sam and Embry discussing pack business when they heard the sound of Billy's old pickup truck. He knew Bella would be visiting for the summer. It was all Jacob had talked about for the past few weeks. Paul had never met her, but felt like he knew her from listening to other pack members talk about her. Jacob, Quil and Embry had known her since she was a little girl. She and Chief Swan made a regular appearance to the reservation during the summer so the others had at least met her. He knew that everybody thought very highly of her and you couldn't convince Charlie that there was anybody better than his little girl. Paul would dare anybody to try. Chief Swan was a man of few words, but if you ever wanted to get him to talking, all you had to do was mention his Bells.

Paul, Sam, Embry and Billy had followed Jacob out to greet Bella. Paul couldn't deny that he was slightly curious about the girl that had won over most of the pack and members of the rez. As soon as she stepped out of the truck, he instantly understood the constant hard-ons half of his pack brothers had for her. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. When she recognized Jake, the smile that graced her face would send a lesser man to his knees. Paul took the time to really look at her while she was wrapped in Jake's arms. Pale pink sundress, flip flops, pink toenails and lots of pale, smooth skin showing in a completely innocent way. Her long, dark hair was loosely braided on the side of one shoulder. Paul's breathing became slightly labored as her continued studying her. Billy cleared his throat beside him trying to get Paul's attention. His eyes immediately shot to Billy's and he saw the questioning look in them. Paul shrugged unwilling to share and not really sure what was causing him to react this way. Billy slowly turned his head back towards Jake and Bella as they separated and turned towards them.

"Hey Billy. How've you been?" She called to him while making her way over with Jacob trailing behind.

"I'm good." Billy answered.

She made her way to him and bent over to give him a tight hug. Billy was like a second father to her and it felt so good to see him.

"It's good to see you sweetie. Maybe this summer we can finally convince you to pack your bags and move in with the old man." He said as he returned her embrace.

"I don't know Billy. I think I cramp his style." She laughed thinking about how this morning she had almost fallen in the toilet.

Charlie never could remember to put the toilet seat down. He had been a bachelor far too long, she thought. The truth was that Charlie would give his right arm to have her come live with him. And Bella knew it.

Next, her eyes landed on Embry. "Hey Bella." It took her a minute to recognize him.

"Embry? What are they feeding you guys?" She smiled. "It's good to see you, Em." She said.

"You too, Bella." He said giving her a one arm hug.

If Embry was being honest, he had always had a little bit of a crush on Bella. Quil too, but both of them knew that Jacob loved her and neither of them would ever act on it. However, that didn't stop them from placing her in a starring role of more than one of their dirty fantasies. Jacob had taken a chunk out of both of them on more than one occasion because of it.

Meanwhile, Paul was feeling jittery and he had no clue as to why. His heart was racing and his palms were sweating. He felt the urge to run away, but at the same time something was keeping him where he was. And the closer she got to him, the worse it was.

Billy kept glancing at him out of the corner of his eye wondering what was causing his strange behavior. Billy knew that Paul was the most unstable wolf, but he had never seen him act like THIS. He was more than a little concerned. Bella could never know about the wolves unless she was an imprint since she wasn't part of the tribe. He was scared that Paul was on the verge of phasing. Billy snapped out of his thoughts just as Bella had finished greeting Sam.

"Bella? Have you met Paul?" Billy asked.

"No or at least I don't think I have, but I've heard a lot about him." She answered turning towards him.

Paul was looking towards the ground as Bella held her hand out towards him.

"I feel like I already know you. Jake talks about you all the time." Bella said with an excited tone.

Sam nudged him with his elbow when he didn't respond. He slowly raised his eyes and then paused when they reached her breathtaking smile. Her smile faltered slightly thinking he wasn't going to respond. Slowly, Paul raised his hand to grasp hers. He gasped when his hand made contact with hers and his body jerked forward. His eyes shot to hers AND….His world stopped. He felt like he had been punched in the gut. His breathing was ragged and he knew he still hadn't said anything. He knew he needed to say something, but his brain wasn't working and it was taking everything he had to stay standing.

"Are you okay?" He heard her ask.

He finally managed a small nod. Bella started to withdraw her hand, but she didn't miss that he gripped her hand a little tighter before letting go. They were both standing there looking at each other when Paul finally managed to speak.

"It was good meeting you, Bella. I…"He stopped and took a deep breath, then started again. "I need to get going." He stated as he turned toward the others.

Judging by the looks on their face and the sad look Jacob wore, they all knew what had just happened. Sam gave him a small nod and with that he turned and walked towards his house.

Every step he took away from that house felt like it was tearing him down the middle. The pull to go back was just so strong, but Paul needed time to time to think. He needed to get himself together. The last thing he wanted to do was to make an idiot of himself or even worse would be him making her feel uncomfortable or scaring her. "Fuck", he thought. "What am I going to do now?"

Paul had been on his own for most of his life. His father had beaten the shit out of him and his mother until he was ten years old and then finally walked out on them. He chuckled thinking about his father trying that shit now. His mother had stuck around until he was fifteen. Then one day, just never came home. It didn't really matter. Paul had taken care of himself up until then anyway. The only difference was that he didn't have to make sure his mother didn't choke on her vomit or drink herself into a coma every night. He was actually quite relieved when she left. He had been worried at first, unsure if something had happened to her, but one look in her room proved that she had packed her things and left. He wasn't even worth a proper goodbye from his own mother. She had left him without so much as a "fuck you." Her only son was left behind and forgotten. He hadn't seen or heard from her in 5 years.

Billy had always watched out for him since he was a little boy. Making sure he had eaten and had clothes to wear. Paul had never told anyone about the beatings from his father or his mother's drinking problem. People weren't blind or stupid. Of course they suspected things, but without any proof, there wasn't much they could do. Billy had tried to convince him to move in with him and Jacob after his mother had left, but Paul refused. He didn't want to be a burden to anyone and he knew that money was tight for the two of them. Hell, money was tight for most of the people in La Push. Paul started doing odd jobs for people after school and on weekends. He made enough money to pay for food and electricity.

Once he turned 17, he dropped out of school and got a full time job working at a garage. Paul had not wanted to quit school. He had actually hoped to graduate and go to college, but he knew he could never afford the tuition. That was also the year he phased for the first time. Of course, once he phased, all of them found out about his fucked up childhood.

When he was twenty, he received word that his mother had finally lost the battle with her alcohol addiction. She had died in her sleep just like he had always worried about as a kid. She had listed him as the beneficiary of her life insurance. It was the only thing she had ever done for him. He used the money to buy his truck and to pay for some much needed work done on his house. He put what was left in the bank. It wasn't an extravagant amount, but at least he wasn't completely broke anymore.

His thoughts went back to Billy and Jacob and the sad look on both of their faces. He knew how much Bella meant to both of them and how they had both hoped Jacob would imprint on her. A low growl came from his throat before he could stop it at the thought of Jacob imprinting on her. "Calm the fuck down" Paul said to his wolf. Would they resent him now? He sure hoped not. Billy and Jacob, and now the rest of the pack, were the only family he had ever had. Even if he was a loner and spent most of his time, when he wasn't working or patrolling, by himself. He didn't want to sound like a pussy, but he loved them and didn't want to lose them. He knew they were probably also concerned about how he would treat Bella. If he was being honest, he was worried about that too.

Paul had never been in a relationship. Sure, he enjoyed the company of women occasionally when he had a little extra time. He couldn't deny that he enjoyed sex. He was a man and a wolf with a very healthy sexual appetite after all. The problem was that, that was all it had been…sex. He didn't date nor did he have girlfriends. He didn't take them out for dinner or buy them flowers or gifts. He simply found someone who needed some relief like he did and that was it. He didn't know the first thing about being in a relationship.

Paul had made it home while he was lost in his thoughts. He took a quick shower and pulled on a pair of jeans when he finished. After making a couple of sandwiches and grabbing a beer from the fridge, he made himself comfortable on the couch. He turned on the TV while devouring his sandwiches. He realized he hadn't eaten anything since lunch and he was starving. Just as he swallowed the last bite, there was a soft knock on the door. After sitting his empty plate on the coffee table, he stood and made his way to the door. He opened the door and there stood Bella, looking extremely nervous and holding a plate of food in her hand.

"Bella? What are you doing here?" He asked completely surprised to see her standing outside of his house.

"Billy said you were supposed to have eaten dinner with us, but something must have come up. I always cook too much and I didn't want to throw it away so I asked Billy if he thought it would be ok to bring you a plate. I hope it is…I mean…I hope it was ok for me…A complete stranger...to stop by your house….completely unannounced. I'm sorry…I…um….I'll just go." She was stammering and Paul couldn't help thinking she was the cutest thing he had ever seen. He realized he needed to say something.

"No…come in." He finally found his voice.

She looked hesitant and he was scared that she was going to leave. "Please?" He asked while holding his breath.

She looked at him for a moment, eyes darting back and forth between his. He assumed she was trying to decide whether to stay or if she should leave. She probably thought he was some kind of fucking idiot with the way he kept staring at her and not saying anything.

Bella made her decision. "Okay". She said and with that she stepped inside.

**Please review and let me know what you think. The title of this story came from the song I'm Yours by The Script. Love the song and it just fits this story perfectly.**


	2. Chapter 2

**So here is chapter 2. I finished it and decided to go ahead and post it. Still no Beta or pre-reader so it probably has errors. Thank you to everybody that reviewed chapter one. I can't explain how good they made me feel.**

**Oh…As you already know, Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight.**

As Bella watched Paul leave, she couldn't help but feel that his leaving had something to do with her. She turned and followed the others inside while Jacob grabbed her bags out of her truck. She was going to cook dinner for Billy and Jacob. Sam and Embry decided to join them as well.

Jake came walking in with the bags and asked "where do you want these?"

"Just sit them on the counter" she said while digging through the cabinets trying to find the cookware she needed.

The guys were in the living room watching TV. They knew Bella didn't really care for people standing over her while she was cooking. She couldn't keep her mind from drifting to Paul. She hoped she hadn't done anything to offend him. She realized she was just being silly. They had barely exchanged ten words. She remembered how his hands had shook and how his breathing had been ragged as they were shaking hands. And the way he gripped her hand when she tried pulling away. She decided he must have just been having a bad day or something.

"Hey guys, it's ready." She called when everything was ready to be served.

"I guess Paul isn't coming back to eat with us" she heard Embry say to Sam.

"He probably just needs to get himself together." He answered.

Bella found herself wishing he would come back and eat with them. She hated the thought of him missing a meal. Then she realized how stupid she was being. For all she knew, he had a wife or girlfriend waiting for him at home with a home cooked meal on the table. "What is wrong with my brain tonight" she thought.

"I can drop a plate off by his house on my way home if you think that would be okay" she blurted before she could stop herself.

She didn't miss the way the all looked at each other with eyebrows raised. Sam and Embry even shared a smile. She was such an idiot she thought to herself.

"That would be really nice of you Bella. I'm sure he'd appreciate it." Billy said bringing her out of her thoughts.

Honestly, Billy wasn't sure how Paul would react, but he knew they needed to get to know one another. Despite his disappointment that Jacob had not imprinted on Bella, Billy knew that Paul was a good man. A little rough around the edges maybe, but Paul deserved something good for once in his life. He had never once heard Paul complain about the hand he had been dealt. He just accepted it and made the most out of what he had. And that said a lot about his character as far as Billy was concerned. Sure, Paul had a bad temper and had trouble controlling his wolf when he was angry, but he hadn't grown up with nice, loving parents as role models. He had been abused and abandoned by the people who should love him the most. Bella would be good for him, Billy decided. She would show him what it was like to be loved. Something Paul had never experienced.

Bella was the complete opposite of Paul. Bella had grown up with two loving parents. They were divorced, but both of them loved her dearly. She knew how much they loved her and she loved them back just as they loved her. Bella was a real sweetheart. Kind of quiet and shy until she got to know you. A little clumsy which had been the cause of some good laughs over the years. She truly cared about people and was always willing to lend a hand. Much to Charlie's displeasure, she was beautiful with a smile that could light up a room. Billy had seen the way boys looked at her and had warned Charlie many times that he was going to have to fight the boys off. Charlie made it clear that he knew how to dispose of a body if it came to that. Billy had laughed at him, but he wasn't completely certain that Charlie was joking.

They finished up their dinner and after spending some time catching up, Bella and Jake cleaned up the kitchen. After making Paul a plate, Bella said her goodbyes and headed to Paul's house.

On her way to his house, she started thinking that it was a really dumb idea. What if he thought she was crazy? Maybe he had already eaten? Or what if he really did have a wife or girlfriend? She probably should have asked one of them before she left, but she couldn't think of a way to ask without seeming like she was interested. And she really didn't want to give them that impression. They would just find a way to embarrass her about it later on.

By the time she reached his house and had knocked on the door, she realized she had no idea what she was going to say to him. How was she going to explain her reason for being here? She didn't have time to decide what to say before the door opened and he was asking her what she was doing there. His shirtless body caused her to stumble through her response and then all she really wanted to do was get back in her truck and go home. She couldn't deny that he was one good looking man. She would bet that he had women throwing themselves at him all the time.

Then he asked her to come inside and had even said please. She couldn't have said no if she wanted to. He seemed to genuinely want her to stay.

She had agreed and was stepping around him into his house before she had even processed her decision. She heard his sharp inhale when she brushed against him on her way inside. Maybe he doesn't like being touched, she thought. That would explain his earlier behavior.

Paul was trying to calm himself down. He couldn't believe she was actually here. At his house. And she had come to bring him food. He was still trying to wrap his head around that when she brushed against him in passing. It set his body on fire. That one little touch had started a war inside of him. His wolf wanted her or at least needed some sort of contact. Paul, the man, knew that she wasn't ready for anything like that. He had just met her. He wanted to take his time and get to know her before he had to explain his tribe's legends and what he was. He just hoped that when that time came that it wouldn't scare her off.

Bella was taking in her surroundings. It appeared that he was single or lived alone. His home was very manly and lacked a woman's touch. Hard wood floors, brown leather sofa, decent sized TV and a small fireplace made up the living room. No pictures or knick-nacks that she could see. Nevertheless, it was a nice home and quite tidy.

"Have a seat Bella." He said making his way towards the kitchen. "I'm just gonna put this in the microwave real quick."

Bella wasn't sure if he was heating it up or putting it in there to save for later. She made her way towards the couch to sit down and that's when she noticed an empty plate on the coffee table.

"I'm really sorry for just showing up like this. I should have called. I don't even know if you've eaten yet or not." She realized she was rambling and promptly clinched her mouth shut.

Paul recognized that she was nervous and that he hadn't thanked her yet. He didn't want her to feel uncomfortable in his home. Fact was, she had surprised him. People just didn't go out of their way to do something nice for him. He hadn't had a home cooked meal in a long time. And it smelled so fucking good. Yet here she was, sitting on his couch and apologizing for being here. He had to put a stop to that right now.

"No…Thank you for this…really…I was starving." He said as he made his way to the couch and sat down. He followed her eyes to the empty plate sitting on the coffee table. He gave her a sheepish smile, but didn't say anything. He wasn't going to lie about it and he was hoping she would think it was from yesterday or something. There was a moment of awkward silence before Bella stood up. Paul became conscious of the fact that he was staring at her again.

"I hope you enjoy it, but I should get going. I just wanted to bring that by for you." Bella said.

Paul didn't want her to leave. He racked his brain trying to figure out something he could say to keep her there for just a little while longer. And he came up with absolutely nothing that wouldn't make her think he was crazy or send her running for the hills. And he definitely didn't want either of those things to happen. Therefore, Paul stood up and followed her to the door.

"Thanks again Bella. It was really nice of you to do this." He said. Then he surprised the hell out of himself by hugging her. It had surprised Bella too, but she couldn't deny how good it felt. He greedily inhaled her scent not knowing how long it would be before he had her in his arms again. Both of them were reluctant to pull away.

"I'm so glad I finally got meet you." She said walking out the door.

"Me too." Paul said and he meant it.

"Hey Bella…Will you be at the bonfire tomorrow night?" she heard Paul call out to her just as she made it to her truck.

"Um…Yeah…I'll probably be there." She said and climbed in her truck.

"Ok…Well…I guess I'll see you there." He stated.

With that, she gave him a small wave and pulled her door closed.

Paul watched until he could no longer see her taillights before walking back inside. He quickly finished off the food Bella had brought him and then headed towards Forks.

As Bella fell asleep that night thinking of Paul, she had no idea that a wolf lay just outside her window keeping her safe and needing her near.

**Please review if you like it so I'll know if I should continue. Thanks for reading.**

**Amy**


	3. Chapter 3

**Still no beta. All errors are mine. Thank you to everybody that reviewed. I truly appreciate every one of them. Hope you enjoy.**

**Twilight belongs to Stephanie Meyers.**

**Chapter Three**

Bella spent the morning and early afternoon with Charlie. They ate a late breakfast together and after some cleaning up, they watched a game on TV. Bella enjoyed sports almost as much as Charlie, but her ability to trip over absolutely nothing kept her from participating in anything athletic. Being an observer was the next best thing and it kept her from feeling as if she was missing out. A couple years back, she had started jogging a few days a week to help stay in shape. She had hoped that it would also help with her clumsiness. It had taken several scraped knees and skinned palms before she saw some improvement. Hurting herself while jogging was a rare occurrence now, but she still wasn't brave enough to partake in any other physical activities. In reality, Bella was still as clumsy as ever. She didn't mind so much. There wasn't anything she could do about it anyway.

"Hey dad…you going to the bonfire later?" She asked.

"Yeah Bells…are you going?" Charlie replied.

"Yeah…thought we might ride down there together." She answered and Charlie nodded his response.

She enjoyed spending time with her dad. She had always hated that she only got to spend summers and a few holidays with him. Charlie was one of the best men she knew. Bella never had understood why a woman hadn't snatched him up yet. In fact, she didn't think her father ever even dated. He could be quiet at times and sometimes a little awkward. She was much like him in that way and suspected that was the reason for his absence of dates. Bella herself, had never had a boyfriend. At the age of eighteen, that was pretty much unheard of. It wasn't that she hadn't received any offers, she just didn't see the point in dating someone she didn't have any interest in. And so far, she hadn't met anybody that appealed to her in that way. Until last night. Paul. Paul had appealed to her. Oh crap. Was she interested in Paul? No, she couldn't be. She didn't even know him. Her mind was going haywire. This had never happened to her before. Finally she decided it was because he had answered the door with no shirt on. It had zapped her brain. She was a teenage girl after all and she had 20/20 vision. And there was no denying that Paul was an attractive man. She giggled softly at her thoughts, but stopped quickly when she noticed Charlie looking at her curiously. She waved him off.

"It's nothing dad…Just got lost in my head for a minute." She said heading upstairs to get ready for the bonfire.

Just as Bella made it to her room, her phone rang. It was jake.

"Hey Jake! Couldn't wait another hour to talk to me?" She joked in greeting.

"Ha!Ha! Very funny. That's actually why I'm calling. I forgot to mention it last night so I wasn't sure if you were coming." He answered.

"Oh..well…That's ok. Paul asked me about it last night and Charlie had already told me about it anyway. I was just about to jump in the shower actually." She told him.

Jake didn't respond for several moments and Bella started to think maybe she had misunderstood. Maybe he didn't want her to come. She knew they often told old stories about the tribe's history and outsiders were not allowed to be present when they did. But that didn't make sense, she thought. Paul would not have asked her if that was true.

"They're not telling those old wolf stories that us pale faces aren't supposed to know about, are they?" she asked.

Jacob almost choked on his tongue. He had told Bella all the stories when they were little. Back when that's all they had been…stories. He never thought they were true. This past year had proven him wrong.

"No. Nothing like that…Uh…listen Bells, I gotta go. I'll see you when you get here." He coughed.

"Ok. See you soon. Bye Jake."

They hung up and she went to take a shower. She didn't understand what had caused Jake to get so weird on the phone. Bella knew Jacob well enough to know when something was bothering him.

The truth was, Jacob had been surprised. It had stunned him that Paul had asked her about the bonfire. Paul wasn't known for spending time with girls. It was just one more thing telling him he was going to have to give up on the idea of them being together. And Jacob was completely devastated. It was foolish, he knew that. He didn't know if he had ever even had a chance with Bella. She had never given him any hints. They had always been just friends. Besides, she lived in Phoenix. It wasn't like they could be together anyway. Not for the first time since last night, he wondered how that was going to play out with Bella and Paul. He had always hoped that she would move in with her dad after she graduated. His plan had been to wait until then and he would confess his feelings to her. That wouldn't be happening now. She wasn't meant to be with him. Her place was with Paul. And it broke Jacob's heart.

Charlie parked the car before he and Bella made their way to the beach. It looked as if most of the pack was already there and quite a few others.

"I can't believe how big they've all gotten." She said turning her head and looking up at her father. Jacob and the rest of them looked completely different than they had last summer.

"They must be feeding them good." She continued.

"It must be genetics." he stated. Charlie knew just how accurate that statement was.

Charlie had found out about the wolves not long after Jake phased for the first time. He and Billy had spent the day fishing before going back to Billy's house to fry up their catch. Jacob and Quil were in the kitchen when they returned. At the time, Charlie didn't know why Billy asked Quil to leave, but he later found out that Jacob wasn't supposed to be hanging out with Quil since he hadn't joined the pack yet. Jacob had become so angry that he phased right there in Billy's kitchen. Billy had no choice but to tell Charlie the truth. To say he was shocked would have been a gross understatement. To be honest, it had scared the shit out of him and he was the chief of police. He was okay with it now that he knew all the facts, but it had taken him some time. Charlie didn't like keeping things from Bella. However, in this situation, he felt she was probably better off not knowing. You just can't take something like that back. Once you knew about it, you would never forget. Charlie knew from first hand experience. Furthermore, he was sworn to secrecy. And once Charlie Swan gave you his word, his lips were sealed. He'd take it to his grave.

"Bella!" Emily called running up to Bella. "It's so good to see you!"

"You too Emily" Bella said giving her a quick hug.

"Come on…Jake and Quil are over by the food table. I have to stand guard or we won't have anything left." She said reaching for Bella's hand.

Bella sent a questioning look to Charlie.

"I'm just gonna go find Billy. I know he's around here somewhere." He told her.

"Ok. I'll find you later." She said turning to follow Emily.

Emily hadn't been joking about Quil and Jacob. They were steady stuffing their faces when the girls arrived at the food table.

"Busted" said Quil when he realized they had been caught and Jacob gave them a sheepish smile.

"You guys are pigs. You can't be trusted around food." Emily scolded.

"Aw…Em…We're growing boys." Jacob said to her.

"More like ravenous wolves" She said. Bella didn't miss the way their eyes widened at Emily statement, but then they just laughed it off.

Suddenly, Bella felt like the air around her changed and she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. She looked around as discreetly as possible, but didn't see anything. Seconds later, she heard her name being called from behind her. She knew that voice and exactly who it belonged to. Paul. Turning to face him, her breath caught when her eyes met his. They were beautiful. Dark brown surrounded by thick lashes that girls would kill for.

"Paul?" she said in question.

"I just wanted to thank you again for last night." He said. The truth was, he couldn't stay away any longer. He had tried so very hard to keep his distance, but it was a battle he wasn't able to win. Paul couldn't be certain that he even wanted to.

"I really enjoyed it. I can't remember the last time I had a home cooked meal." He continued. It was true. The meal had been delicious. His girl definitely knew her way around the kitchen, he thought.

"It was no problem…really. I'm glad you liked it." She said with a warm smile. She couldn't help feeling sad for Paul. He seemed exceedingly thankful for something as simple as food. She wondered what he normally ate. Did anybody ever cook for him?

Neither of them could think of anything further to say, but both were reluctant to leave the other's company.

Before things could become uncomfortable, Bella excused herself with the excuse that she needed to help Emily finish getting the food ready.

Paul had seen Bella the moment she stepped out of the cruiser. Even if he hadn't, he was certain he would have known she was there by scent alone. She smelled like strawberries and vanilla and it made his mouth water. But he HAD seen her. He almost wished he hadn't, but only because of the affect she was having on his body. She stepped out of her father's car wearing a white, strapless tube style sundress that stopped at her ankles. Her hair was down and hanging down to the middle of her back. As soon as she was out of the car, she slipped her sandals off and walked barefoot to the beach. She looked so fucking beautiful. Paul was convinced she was sent straight from heaven to torture him. He was instantly rock hard and was unable to stop his hand from reaching down and palming his dick. Remembering where he was at, he quickly adjusted himself before looking around. His eyes landed on the two assholes he had been talking to when Bella arrived. Judging by the smirks on both of their faces, Paul hadn't been very discreet. Paul mouthed a quick "fuck you" before walking away. He needed to get himself under control before he did something embarrassing.

After a short walk, Paul returned and saw Bella talking with Jacob, Emily and Quil. His wolf was demanding that he go talk to her, but he had no idea what to talk to her about. Paul wished he knew her as well as the others did. At the very least, that would give him an excuse to talk to her. Finally, he decided that he would go and thank her again. When Bella excused herself to go help Emily, he grabbed a couple of burgers and walked a little further down the beach. Paul was somewhat of a loner and he needed time to think.

After helping Emily, Bella made her way over to where Jake and Embry were sitting by the fire. Jake was still stuffing his face. She didn't know how he was holding all of it. The three of them talked while they ate and once Bella was finished, she noticed Jacob had one hot dog left on his plate. Jacob was turned towards Embry discussing a part he needed for his car. Being the sneak she is, she snatched the hot dog quickly and took off running down the beach. She looked back just as Jacob realized it was missing. He looked confused until he spotted her. Jacob jumped up quickly chasing after her. Bella and Jacob had been doing this since they were kids. They loved teasing and playing jokes on each other. Despite Bella's head start, Jake was quickly gaining on her. She was running as fast as she could when she saw a figure ahead of her. Thinking it was Sam or Quil. She called out to them.

"Help! Help! Please!" She yelled.

Paul had just finished his burgers when he heard her. At first, his heart almost gave out until it registered that she was laughing. He looked up to see her running towards him with a hot dog in her hand and Jacob not too far behind. Her pretty little legs were going as fast as they could. He almost laughed. This little girl thought she could out run a werewolf. Of course, he had to give her some credit. She didn't know that's what they were.

He turned and squatted motioning with his hands for her to jump on. Bella never even slowed down before leaping onto his back. He caught her easily and took off. Paul had no problem running with Bella, but it did slow him down enough that Jake was eventually able to catch up with them. Jacob took the squished hot dog from Bella's hand and stuffed the whole thing in his mouth. Bella threw her head back and laughed. Her laughter was like a shot of sweet whiskey to Paul. It made his entire body warm and tingly.

"You're disgusting, Jake." She told him trying to get her laughter under control. The others caught up quickly and joined in the laughter.

It was then that Paul's mind caught on to the fact that Bella was pressed against his back with her arms around his neck and legs wrapped around his waist which had caused her dress to be pushed up. His hands were wrapped around her thighs just below her ass. Only a thin pair of panties were separating his back from that sweet pussy. Fucking hell, he was hard again. And then, as if he wasn't being tortured enough, Bella rested her head on his shoulder and started drawing little figures on his chest with her fingertips. He didn't think she was even aware she was doing it.

"Good catch by the way." She whispered in his ear with a soft giggle. Paul couldn't stop the groan that escaped his throat as her warm sweet breath washed over him and he couldn't handle any more tonight. He had reached his limit.

"Are you okay?" she asked leaving no doubt as to whether she had heard him or not. Paul had to think quickly.

"Yeah…There's just something I really need to do." It wasn't a lie. He slowly loosened his grip and made sure she was steady on her feet before releasing her.

"Ok…well thanks for your help…maybe we can beat him next time." She said. The smile he gave her was breathtaking.

"See you later, Bella." He replied before turning and walking away.

He heard the others snickering no doubt knowing exactly what Paul needed to do.

**Poor Paul. LOL! Let me know if you like it.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm SOOOO happy to have found Jessica, my new beta. She's been great!Thank you Jessica. Would have been missing lots of commas without you.**

**Chapter Four**

Paul barely made it home and into his shower before he had his dick in his hand. It took all of four strokes to have him cumming like a thirteen year old boy. He was convinced that Bella Swan would be the death of him. She had no idea the kind of effect she had on his body. Not only was she the sexiest fucking woman he had ever laid eyes on, she was also sweet and thoughtful. She had proven that last night when she went out of her way to do something nice for him. She had also proven to be a sneaky little thing and Paul loved it. She would keep him on his toes. Paul couldn't help but laugh thinking about her running down the beach like her life depended on it. That was just one more thing he liked about her. She was funny and could make him laugh. It was no secret that Paul had not laughed about anything in a long time. Bella had been having fun tonight and it pleased Paul and his wolf to see her so carefree and happy. Then there was her smile and that laugh. They did funny things to him. Oh yeah, there was no denying it, Paul had it bad.

The next day, around lunch time, Paul headed over to Jake's house. He was hopeful that Bella would be there. When he arrived, he found Jake, Quil, and Embry in the garage working on Jake's car.

"Paul." Jake said in greeting. He didn't need to ask Paul what he was doing there. Paul rarely ever stopped by unless they had pack business to discuss. Jacob knew Bella was on her way over and decided to mess with Paul a little bit before she got there.

"About got it running?" Paul asked nodding towards the car.

"Nah…I need to pick up a part over in Port Ang." Jake said glancing at Quil and Embry with mischief shining in his eyes. This was going to be good. "As a matter of fact, we were just talking about picking it up tonight…before we head over to the bar to listen to some band that's playing."

Paul noticed the smirks on all three of their faces and knew instantly that this wasn't going to be a boy's night out. When the reality of the situation and what exactly that meant sunk in, Paul was livid.

"Have you all lost your damned minds?" Paul growled out. "There's no fuc…." His sentence was left hanging when they heard a soft knock on the door. They would have to finish this conversation later. There was absolutely no fucking way his imprint was going to be in a bar, surrounded by drunken assholes, before he had established some sort of relationship with her. That was just asking for trouble. Paul would end up killing somebody.

"Hey Jake…You in there?" She called after knocking. It was almost comical watching the way Paul's whole facial expression changed and his eyes softened at the sound of her voice. Big, tough, foul mouthed Paul was nothing more than a big ol' softie where Bella Swan was concerned.

"Come on in Bells." Jake replied. She pushed through the door and her eyes immediately connected with Paul's.

"We were just telling Paul about that band you and Emily want to go see." Jacob said breaking their connection.

"Oh yeah?" she questioned. "That's actually the reason I stopped by. I was wondering if maybe I could get a ride with somebody. I don't know exactly where this place is at." She said.

"Well…the three of us are actually leaving early to pick up a part I need." Jacob replied motioning towards Quil, Embry and himself. "Maybe you could ask Sam and Emily. I'm sure they wouldn't mind picking you up." He finished.

"I can pick you up." The words were out of Paul's mouth before he even had a chance to think them through. Jacob, Quil, and Embry couldn't control their laughter. Paul couldn't wait for his next opportunity to take a bite out of them.

"I thought there was no fucking way you were taking her there." Quil whispered too low for Bella to here. Paul had not finished his earlier statement, but as it turns out, he didn't need to. They knew exactly how his statement would have ended.

Paul's eyes flickered over to Bella. She looked confused. No doubt wondering what those three fuckheads were laughing about. Then she turned her head towards him.

"Thanks Paul. That would be great. What time do you want to leave? I think the band starts at 9:00." She said smiling at him.

"I can pick you up at seven. We can grab a bite to eat on the way if you want to." He replied.

"It's a date then." She said before thinking through her words. She blushed profusely when she realized what she had said.

Lowering her eyes to the floor, she tried to explain her words. "I mean…not that it's a date…I meant….um…yeah…I..."

Paul smirked sexily at her when her eyes finally met his. Then he decided to take pity on her and save her from her stammering, but couldn't pass up the opportunity to play with her a little bit. She was just too fucking cute.

"It's a date then." He repeated her words. "I'll pick you up at seven." Paul said with a wink causing that blush to reappear.

Before Bella could respond, Paul turned and walked over to take a look under the hood of Jake's car. Not that it mattered. Bella couldn't think of anything to say anyway. That smirk and wink had left her standing there speechless with butterflies in her stomach.

On her way back home, later that afternoon, Bella wondered if this was really a date or if he had just been teasing her. She had never been on a date before. Would he try to kiss her or hold her hand? Did she want him to? Bella couldn't deny how Paul's presence affected her. Her heart would beat just a little bit faster, she felt fluttering in her stomach, and lost a good percentage of her brain function anytime she tried talking to him. Yes, Bella Swan was experiencing her first crush.

Still, she wondered if there was more to it than that. She had started missing him whenever he wasn't around and that confused her. For two people who had only just met, it didn't make any sense. In fact, her visit to Jake's this afternoon had been in hope of seeing him there. She could have called Jake to ask about getting a ride, but Bella had not done that. Getting out of bed this morning, she had felt an overwhelming need to go to La Push and the relief she had felt upon seeing Paul there was unexplainable.

Charlie was there when Bella arrived home. After discussing their days, Charlie asked her about her plans for the evening.

"Some of us are going to Joe's Place to listen to listen to a band Emily likes….um….Paul's picking me up at seven." She said trying to sound indifferent.

Charlie was taken aback. He knew Bella didn't have much, if any, experience with boys. He also knew that Paul wasn't lacking in that department. Charlie had heard the rumors about Paul's rendezvous with women. Despite that, he knew Paul fairly well and he was quite fond of him, but that didn't change the fact that Bella was still his little girl. Billy had enlightened him the night before about the imprint and Charlie wasn't sure how to feel about that. Although, going by the information Billy had given him about imprinting, he didn't really have a choice. He would have to learn to like it, or at least accept it, but he had thought he would have a little more time.

"Make sure he comes to the door." Charlie said with a little twitch to his lips.

Bella wanted to argue that this wasn't a date, but she didn't know if that was true or not.

"Sure dad." She said suddenly nervous that she was going to have to call Paul and tell him.

After calling Jake to get his number, she picked up the phone and dialed.

Just as Bella stepped into her room, she heard him pick up. "Yeah?" He answered, obviously unaware it was her.

The sound of his voice caused her to stumble, bump into her dresser and knock several things over in the process.

"Shit…hold on…" she said righting herself. "Hi...Paul…it's Bella…I was just calling to….um…crap…." She said trying to explain why she was calling.

He chuckled softly hearing all the commotion coming from her end. She was nervous and he secretly loved that he could have that kind of effect on her.

"Hey Bella…what can I do for you? You're not backing out on our date, are you?" He interrupted taking pity on her once again, but he couldn't resist teasing her a little. It was a mean thing to do. He knew that, but he couldn't help it.

Finally under control, she answered. "Yes…I mean no…I still want to go, but…um…Charlie…well…He wants you to…um…come to the door." She rushed the last part.

Paul outright laughed at that. Paul was aware that Charlie knew about the imprint and he knew Charlie well enough to know that he wouldn't pass up the chance to give him his tough guy routine. Paul couldn't hold it against him. If he had a daughter like Bella he'd feel the same way.

Bella laughed too, knowing what he was laughing about.

"That's not a problem." He said when the laughter died down.

"Ok…well I guess I'll see you at seven then." She replied ending their conversation, but not really wanting to hang up yet.

"See you later Bella." With that, the call was disconnected.

Later that evening, when Paul pulled into the Swan's driveway, he said a little prayer that he wouldn't do anything to screw this up.

**So that was Chapter 4. Hope you liked it. Let me know.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you to everybody that reviewed, alerted and favorited this story. It makes me so happy that people like my idea! A special thank you to my beta, Jessica. You've been wonderful. And thank you, Goldengirl, for the new banner. I love it! Check it out! Link on my profile page.**

**Chapter Five **

Catching his reflection in the rear view mirror, Paul took one last look at himself. He had spent a little extra time getting ready for tonight. That was unusual for Paul, usually preferring to dress in jeans and a t-shirt or cutoffs, but he wanted to make a good impression. And Paul had never cared before. Until now.

There had never been a lack of women vying for his attention or a spot in his bed, but Bella was different. He wanted her to recognize his efforts and know that he cared what she thought of him. And this wasn't just about getting his dick wet. Although, if he was being honest, he couldn't wait until he was buried balls deep inside of her. He had to stop that thought right now. It wouldn't be a very good idea to try talking to the chief with a hard on for his little girl.

Paul had no doubts that Bella found him attractive. Her inability to speak in complete sentences, her blushing, and her nervousness would attest to that, but this wasn't just about attraction. She was hopefully going to be in his life for a long time and that meant learning about his character. She would be his first in that regard.

With that thought, Paul took one last deep breath before stepping out of his car and making his way to the front door.

Bella was just finishing getting ready when she heard the doorbell. It had taken her longer than normal because she was having a difficult time trying to decide what to wear. She wasn't really sure of the dress code in places like that, but that wasn't the only reason. No, the truth was, she wanted to look nice for Paul. In the end, she decided on a red, strapless, knee length dress that Renee had bought for her. It wasn't too dressy or too casual, but somewhere in between.

Bella could hear Charlie and Paul talking in the kitchen as she came down the stairs. She knew she needed to get in there quickly before Charlie said something to embarrass her.

Charlie, not one for beating around the bush, got right to the point. "Now Paul, Billy has already told me about what's going on...and I like you, but I'm not stupid. I've heard all about your...uh...relationships..."

"It's not like that...She's different." She heard Paul interrupt. "If Billy explained everything, then you should know..." Paul's sentence was left unfinished when Bella walked into the kitchen.

Paul's eyes connected with hers before slowly moving down. She noticed when his lips parted and when his breathing quickened causing hers to do the same. By the time they reached her legs, she was feeling warm and could really use some air. The sound of Charlie's throat clearing broke their connection.

"Hey Paul. Ready to go?" She asked, putting an end to his talk with Charlie.

Bella couldn't deny that she was curious about what Paul had been about to say, but she didn't want him to feel uncomfortable. She was mortified that Charlie was actually going to discuss Paul's previous relationships. Not only that, she didn't really want to hear about him being with other girls.

Meanwhile, Paul wasn't doing so well. 'Oh fuck, this is not good.' Paul thought as he took in the sight of Bella in that dress. He was caught somewhere between wanting to demand that she go change clothes and wanting to send a "Thank You" card to its maker.

"Whenever you are." Paul replied.

Paul watched as Bella made her way to the coat rack, picking up a sweater, before opening the door.

"I won't keep her out too late." Paul said to Charlie, while crossing the kitchen to where Bella was waiting.

"Her curfew is ten." Charlie replied looking Paul in the eye with a silent warning.

"Dad! The band doesn't start until nine...And I might spend the night with Jake if he doesn't mind. That way Paul doesn't have to drive me all the way back here." Bella said, clearly annoyed with her dad's behavior.

Paul stiffened beside her and a low rumble escaped him before he could stop it. Bella and Charlie both turned towards him. Charlie's mustache twitched, clearly pleased with his daughter's statement and highly amused with Paul's reaction.

"That would be great Bells. I know Jake will be happy to hear that." Charlie stated while looking at Paul.

Paul had to look away for a minute. He didn't want Bella to see what was written all over his face. He was jealous and he had no right to be. She and Jacob had been friends for a long time, but the thought of her spending the night with him was driving him and his wolf crazy. She was his for fuck's sake.

"I REALLY don't mind bringing you home." Paul said, hoping that she would agree.

"I'll let you know. I need to talk to Jake first anyway." Bella replied. Then she looked to Charlie and said "I'll call you when I know for sure."

"Sure Bells. Talk to you then." Charlie replied.

With that, Paul led Bella out to his truck. Once seated inside, Paul turned towards Bella and said "I didn't know what you liked to eat so I thought I'd let you decide."

"Oh...um...I'm not picky, but I could really go for some pizza right now. I've been craving it all week." She answered looking over at him. "Is that okay with you?"

Paul nodded. "I know a great pizza place on the way."

It was almost torture for Paul sitting in the confined space of his truck with her. Her scent was surrounding him and she was close enough to touch, but still too far away. He wished she would slide over next to him, but he knew that she wouldn't do that. Not yet, anyway.

He was also being tortured by thoughts of Bella spending the night at Jake's house. He didn't know if he could handle it. Paul knew how Jake felt about her. What made it even worse was not knowing where Bella's feelings stood? He knew that Jake wouldn't do anything to interfere with an imprint, but what if Bella had feelings for Jake? Paul's hands began to tremble just thinking about it. Jake better just remember to keep his fucking hands to himself.

"So...uh...You and Jake have known each other for a long time?" Paul questioned, hoping his jealousy wasn't too obvious.

"Yeah...Since we were born. He's my best friend." She said, smiling at him.

Pulling up in front of the pizza place, Paul parked his truck and walked around to open Bella's door.

Paul was hoping that her answer would give him more insight as to the nature of their relationship, as well as her feelings towards Jake. To his disappointment, it did not. He was going to have to just come right out and ask.

"Ever thought about dating?" He asked once the waiter had seated them. Her eyes darted to his.

"Me and Jake?" She asked to which Paul nodded. "God no...I mean, he's like a brother to me. I've never...um...dated anybody or had a boyfriend." She said lowering her eyes and blushing.

Paul's eyes widened in surprise. He would have sworn she was making it up if she didn't look so embarrassed by her admission. Her answer had pleased him and his wolf and he was an asshole because of it.

"I can't believe I just told you that." She continued covering her face with her hands.

Paul reached over and pulled her hand from her face, squeezing gently. "Hey...it's okay. Don't be embarrassed." He told her trying to ease her discomfort.

"High standards, huh?" He teased giving her a wink.

Bella blushed and laughed softly. "No...not at all. I just haven't met anybody I was interested in...in that way until I met..." She managed to stop herself before she said too much. "I mean...I...uh...Do you know what kind of pizza you want?" She finished lamely, changing the subject.

"Whatever you want is okay with me. I like it all." He answered, but he wasn't ready for their conversation to move on.

He was curious about what she had been about to say. Was she talking about him? Had she met someone else?

The waiter arrived, interrupting his thoughts. After placing their order, Paul decided to question her some more.

"So...this is your first date?" He asked with that sexy smirk of his.

Bella's mouth opened and closed a few times before looking at him determinedly. "Paul...um...Is that what this is?" She asked him and then dropped her gaze to the table.

Realizing he was still holding her hand, he gave it another soft squeeze before replying. "I'd really like it to be."

The smile she gave him, in return, caused his breath to catch in his throat. It was beautiful. SHE was beautiful.

"Yes." She replied in answer to his question. Paul looked confused. "This is my first date." She continued.

"Good." Paul replied. "Glad I'm your first. Makes me feel special." He joked.

"You are...you know...special I mean." She stated looking him in the eye. Something deep inside was telling her he needed to hear that.

Paul didn't know how to respond to that, but luckily their food arrived then.

Paul kept replaying her statement in his mind. He had never heard such sweet words, at least not directed at him. He felt undeserving. Bella, on the other hand, did deserve a comment like that. She was proving to be everything he thought she was. Beautiful. Smart. Thoughtful. And a complete hog judging by the way she was attacking that slice of pizza.

"Hungry?" He asked unable to hide his smile.

She looked up at him with wide eyes and that blush he loved so much coloring her cheeks. Her cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk.

Paul's silence after her last statement made her think she had said too much. Keeping her mouth busy chewing would keep her from saying anything else, she had decided.

"Mmm hmm." It was all she could manage with her mouth so full of food. Paul couldn't help laughing.

"You're just too fucking cute." He blurted reaching over to wipe some pizza sauce from her lip.

Bella managed to swallow her food and sucked in a sharp breath as his thumb made contact with her lip. Suddenly, Paul was hit with an overwhelming urge to kiss her. He couldn't fight it. No, he had to feel her lips against his.

Sliding his hand to the back of her neck, he slowly leaned forward, pulling her towards him.

"Can I get you guys anything else?" Came their waiters voice causing both of them to jump back.

The phrase 'if looks could kill' is the only way to describe the look on Paul's face. He had been so close. Paul was certain that she wasn't going to stop him and now their moment was lost.

"We're good." Said Paul unable to hide his annoyance at being interrupted. Then he looked over at Bella and in a much softer voice said "Unless you wanted something else."

"No...I'm fine." She answered.

After they finished eating, Paul paid their bill, and they headed to the bar. Once inside, they searched for the others, finding them easily at a table in the back corner near the stage.

"Hey guys!" Bella said in greeting.

After exchanging pleasantries, Paul made his way to the bar. Being friends with the bartender had it's benefits. He was able to purchase drinks for everyone without being carded. Although, Paul suspected that wouldn't be much of a problem anyway, considering most of them looked to be in their late twenties.

The attention Bella was attracting from the opposite sex ensured this would be the first of many drinks that Paul would consume tonight. If he wanted to make it home without beating one of these mother fuckers to a pulp, he would need all the alcohol he could get. He just hoped, for their sake, none of them made a foolish decision to do anything other than admire from a distance.

When he arrived back at the table, Emily and Leah were trying to talk Bella into dancing with them. Paul passed around drinks, handing Bella her coke that she had asked for and then took a seat next to her.

"Thank you Paul." She said leaning over and whispering in his ear while motioning to her drink.

Paul bit the inside of his cheek willing away the hard on her nearness had caused. "No problem." He replied.

"Come on Bella. I love this song." Emily said once again trying to persuade Bella into dancing with them.

Bella loved to dance, but she was nervous about doing it in front of Paul.

"You and Leah go ahead. I think I'll sit this one out." She said with a smile.

"Okay, but the next good song, we're dragging you out there." Leah said narrowing her eyes at her before making her way, with Emily, to the dance floor.

Bella nodded at them. She didn't doubt Leah's words. She knew Leah well enough to know she wasn't bluffing. With that thought, she turned back to Paul.

"Can I have one of those?" Bella asked pointing at one of his shot glasses.

Paul smirked and raised an eyebrow at her. "Don't like dancing?" He asked sliding the shot glass in front of her.

Bella lowered her eyes to the table and shook her head. "It's not that exactly." She answered unwilling to share the reason for her hesitation. She knew she was being silly.

She didn't need to. Paul wasn't stupid. He could put two and two together. Besides, her shyness was one of the things he loved about her.

Bella picked up the shot glass, giving it a little sniff. She had never been much of a drinker, only sneaking an occasional beer with her friends. She swallowed it down quickly, covering her mouth and coughing a little at the burn it caused in her throat.

Paul chuckled softly watching as her eyes landed on his second shot. "Another?' He asked picking it up.

She nodded and took it from his hand, downing it quickly. Another shot followed, leaving her warm and tingly and no longer dreading the prospect of dancing.

Emily and Leah returned to their table when the band took the stage. They were all having a great time chatting and listening to the bluesy rock music the band was playing. Much to Paul's displeasure, Bella, who was feeling a little light-headed, rested her head on Jacob's shoulder. And Jacob being the asshole he is, shot him a smirk over his shoulder.

Luckily for Paul, the band finished and the DJ took over once again. Soon after, Emily and Leah were leading Bella to the dance floor.

'Fuck me.' Thought Paul as he watched the seductive movement of Bella's hips. Fuck if he wasn't hard again. And he'd be willing to bet his life that he wasn't the only male in here with this problem.

Looking around, Paul saw several sets of eyes focused on her and realized he needed to do something. He was going to have to make a move before one of these dumb-asses got the impression that she wasn't taken.

Walking up behind her, Paul reached out, placing his hands on her hips and slowly pulled her back against him. She stiffened at first before relaxing, seemingly recognizing who it was. His lips lowered to her shoulder before slowly sliding up to her ear. She felt so fucking good against him.

"Do you know how fucking crazy you make me?" He whispered in her ear loving the feel of her body against his.

"Paul." She whimpered softly, her head falling back against his chest and her arms reaching back behind his neck.

"We're gonna have to leave soon Bella...before I do something I'm gonna regret...I can't handle much more." He said, burying his nose in her hair and inhaling deeply.

"What? Is somebody bothering you Paul?" She asked and he loved the concern he could hear in her voice.

"No...nothing like that. It's just that people always seem to want something that doesn't belong to them. And...in this case...it belongs to me." He growled, wrapping his arms around her waist possessively and pulling her tighter against him.

Lowering his head back to her neck, he placed a soft kiss there."Do you understand what I'm saying?" He questioned.

Bella shook her head and Paul chuckled darkly. Paul knew he needed to explain everything to her and he needed to do it soon. Tonight.

"Come home with me Bella." He whispered in her ear. "You can tell your dad you're staying at Jake's. He'll cover for you." He continued, hoping she would agree.

Still feeling the effects of the alcohol coupled with the impact of feeling Paul's body against hers, Bella found herself nodding in agreement.

Reluctantly, Paul released her and they made their way back to their table to say their goodbyes. After pulling Sam and Jacob aside to let them know what was going on, Paul led Bella out to his truck. All Paul could hope for was that Bella would be able to accept what he had to tell her.

She would know everything after tonight.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you once again to everyone that reviewed, alerted, and added it to your favorites. If you didn't get a response to your review, make sure you have PM's enabled. Olivia, your review inspired part of this chapter! I was serious when I said this story isn't completely planned out. So, if there is something you'd like to see happen, let me know. Can't promise anything, but ideas are encouraged.**

**Thank you Jessica, my beta, for your support and encouragement as well as your excellent beta skills.**

**Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight.**

**Chapter Six**

Bella awoke sometime in the night, feeling slightly disoriented. She had been sleeping in an unfamiliar bed, in a room, she didn't recognize. Remembering the events from the previous night, she was able to discern that she was more than likely in Paul's room. She must have fallen asleep on their way home and Paul must have carried her inside.

Paul had been quiet during their drive back to his place. The silence and stillness, combined with the lingering effects of the alcohol, had left her unable to hold her eyes open. The last thing she remembered was wondering why Paul had asked her to come home with him. If the sympathetic and somewhat fearful looks she received from the others were anything to go by, this wasn't just a social call. But that seemed kind of ridiculous, considering she barely knew Paul. _What could it possibly be?_

Bella climbed out of bed making her way to the door. She tiptoed out into the hallway before walking in, what she assumed was, the direction of the living room. She didn't want to wake him if he was sleeping.

She found Paul lying on the couch, shirtless, with the TV on and volume turned low. His eyes were already turned in her direction, almost as if he had heard her coming.

Bella stopped her approach in the entryway, leaning one shoulder against the wall for support, unsure of what her next move should be. Glancing in his direction, their eyes connected and neither of them were able to look away.

Paul was lost. Lost in those beautiful brown eyes of hers. She looked so fucking sexy standing there with her messy hair and wrinkled dress caused by sleeping in his bed. Too bad he couldn't join her.

It had taken more strength than Paul even realized he possessed to leave her, after he had carried her in from the car and tucked her in his bed. She had looked so peaceful laying there.

He should probably offer her something more comfortable to sleep in, Paul thought.

"Everything okay? The TV didn't wake you did it?" He asked still not looking away.

"No...just couldn't sleep. Have you slept at all?" She asked seeing his tired looking eyes.

"No sweet girl, I haven't...Got a lot on my mind right now." Paul answered.

"Anything I can help you with?" She asked him softly wanting to help him in any way she could. He looked worried or possibly...scared.

Paul hesitated for a moment before taking a deep breath and replying. "I need to talk to you about some things and to be honest...I'm not sure how you're going to take it...And I...I really _need _you to be okay with it."

"Let me find you a t-shirt or something." He said standing from the couch and walking in the direction of his bedroom, not waiting to hear her response.

Paul was really just trying to buy a little more time before he turned her world upside down. Or perhaps, it would be his world that would be turned upside down. It would destroy him...if she chose to walk away. For the first time in his life, he had something to lose. And Paul was utterly fucking terrified.

He was stopped by her small hand wrapping around his bicep as he tried to pass her. And then, much to Paul's surprise, her fingers traced a blazing hot trail of fire up his arm, over his shoulder and across his chest before pulling away, almost as if she'd only just comprehended what she was doing.

_Oh God. _

Paul sucked in a long, harsh breath. The feel of her hand against his bare skin was almost too much for him to take. This was only getting harder.

"I'm sorry...I don't know why...um...I'm sorry I passed out on you earlier." She said with that blush staining her cheeks. Clearly, she was embarrassed about touching him.

Bella didn't understand the need she was feeling to touch him, but Paul did. He had been fighting it for days. And right now, all he could think about was slamming her against the wall and burying himself so deep inside her he may never surface again. He had to adjust himself, not even trying to hide it.

She blushed and bit the corner of her lip.

She may be inexperienced, but she knew what that meant. Apparently, he liked her touching him and something made her want to please him. She wanted to touch him some more. She wanted to..._ taste _him. Her eyes widened at the thought.

Bella didn't know where these desires were coming from. All she knew was how he made her feel. And right now, she wanted to feel his mouth on hers. His _body _against hers.

He was beautiful with his smooth, dark skin stretching across thick, powerful muscle. His dark, intense eyes that always seemed to be aware of where she was and what she was doing at all times. It should have bothered her, but it didn't.

Right now, his eyes were darting all over her face is askance. Whether they were asking her to stop him or asking for permission, Paul was unsure himself. All he could see was need and desire there. She needed him the same as he needed her.

Paul could almost see the wheels turning in her head, but he had no clue that she was about to unravel every last thread of his self control. He watched as she slowly turned her body so that she was directly in front of him, her back against the wall. Her hand slowly raising towards his chest.

Paul was so tall that he towered over her small frame, making her feel safe and protected with him. She couldn't explain it, but Bella felt that no harm would ever come to her in his presence. Somehow knowing that she was important to him even if she didn't understand why. It was with that thought that she gained the courage to reach out to him again.

With her eyes trained on his, her fingertips connected with his chest, sliding up until they reached his hair, gripping the ends. Paul's body shuddered violently. Having no idea what to do next, she waited. She needed something. And although she didn't know what that something was, she was certain that Paul did.

His hand reached for her waist and pulled her towards him, her back arching away from the wall, causing her hips to meet his. Paul's head fell back with a deep groan escaping his lips. Slipping his hand down to her ass, he pulled her tighter against him, moving her body over his a second time. Up and down. His dick was throbbing.

"Paul." Bella moaned and gripped his hair tighter, feeling his hardness against her. Nobody had ever touched her there before and it felt _sooo_ good.

He knew he needed to stop this before it went to far. But at the moment, with her body pressed against his, he couldn't remember why. Fuck, he wanted her.

Paul hadn't planned on something like this happening. He had planned on telling her everything tonight and then he was going to try to give her a little time to think things through. But fuck if one touch from her didn't have him throwing all his good intentions out the window.

Looking down at her was a big fucking mistake. Lips parted. Eyes hooded. Breathing ragged. It was sexiest damn face he had ever seen.

His free hand slid into her hair. He needed a taste of those kissable lips.

Luckily or unluckily, depending on how you looked at it, the phone rang. Paul dropped his head against the wall next to her, taking a second to get himself under control. This was the second time he'd been stopped from kissing her. His wolf was pissed at the interruption.

"It's probably Jake. I told him to call Charlie for you." Paul whispered huskily in her ear. Bella shivered and nodded.

The phone stopped ringing, only to start again. Pulling away, he went in search of his phone, finding it on the coffee table. He knew Jake and the others were probably wondering how things were going.

Glancing quickly at the caller id, he answered. "Jake."

"How did it go?" Jake asked.

"I...um..." Paul said glancing over at Bella. "I haven't talked to her yet. She passed out on me on the way home. Must have been a boring date. I'm really hurt." He winked at her, trying to take their minds off what had just happened.

Bella blushed and giggled softly in response. She was thankful for his attempt to make things less awkward.

"Oh...well...Tell her if she needs a little more excitement, she knows who to come to." Jake jokingly said. He loved pissing Paul off.

Paul growled. Jake was just asking for an ass kicking. _Asshole._

"Fuu..." Glancing in Bella's direction, Paul stopped the 'fuck you' from escaping his lips. "Did you talk to Charlie?"

Jake laughed at Paul's _almost_ slip. "Yeah. I told him she fell asleep and was gonna stay here." He said.

Paul decided to let Jake's earlier statement go since he had helped him out and that meant Bella could spend the entire night with him. _If she still wanted to after hearing what he had to say._

"And he bought it?" Paul asked just to make sure.

He didn't need the Chief trying to keep him away from her. That wouldn't end well for one of them. Paul wouldn't stand for anybody getting in his way. His wolf wouldn't go for it either.

"Yeah...Said to tell her to call him in the morning to let him know when she was coming home." Jake replied.

"Ok...well...Thanks" Paul said awkwardly.

Rarely having to ask for help, Paul wasn't sure how to thank him. And he was thankful. He knew this wasn't easy for Jake. Not only had he lost the girl he loved, but he had lost her to a pack brother. That meant having to see her with another man frequently. And Paul knew how deep Jake's feeling ran. He had seen inside Jake's head more times than he could count. This wasn't just a crush or puppy love. Jacob's love for her was pure and strong.

He could only imagine what this was doing to Jake inside. He had loved her his whole life. Because of that, Paul hated to ask for his help, but Jake had agreed to cover for them without any hesitation. But the pain...well...the pain was written all over his face. Clear as day. There was no hiding it. Sure, Jacob tried to cover it up with smiles and laughter, but Paul knew what pain looked like. And Jacob was a man with a broken heart. And Paul felt like shit about it.

That was the moment Paul realized what a great friend Jacob truly was and his respect for him grew tenfold. Jake would make a great alpha someday. He would lead the pack, putting it's needs before his own and protect the people he loved.

"No problem. You might want to send her over here in the morning...just in case he decides to come by. And...uh...call me if..if things don't go well." Jacob stated, saying out loud what Paul had been dreading, causing Paul's stomach to flip.

"Will do. Thanks again Jake." Paul replied hanging up.

Bella was still standing where he left her.

"Jake talked to your dad." Paul told her.

"Oh...everything alright?" She asked.

"Yeah...he wants you to call him in the morning, but Jake thinks it would be a good idea for you to go over there. Thinks Charlie might stop by." Paul said, looking at Bella who was looking at the floor.

"Good idea." She replied, still not looking at him.

_Shit. She was uncomfortable. Probably confused about what happened between them._

"Bella." He said and waited for her to look up.

When her eyes met his, he continued. "I'm sorry about what happened before. I didn't mean to make things weird. It's just that when you touch me...well...That's actually part of what I need to talk to you about."

"Don't worry about it. I-I liked it. I mean...I...crap...I just...I've never...Damn it..." She was so flustered and Paul loved seeing her like this. _Fucking adorable._

Determined to say what she needed to say, she straightened her back and squared her shoulders, looking Paul directly in the eye. Paul almost laughed, but being the smart man he is, he bit his tongue and held it in.

"It's just...I told you I've never dated and that means...It means I don't have any experience with that...that...stuff...I've never even kissed a guy before." She finished, blushing and slapping her hands over her face.

She hadn't meant to admit that last part. Peaking through her fingers, she saw Paul standing there looking smug with a smirk on his pretty face.

"Oh god...How embarrassing." She said wishing the floor would just open up and swallow her.

Paul chuckled. Bella dropped her hands. The sound making her temporarily forget her mortification. She loved his laugh. It was deep and low and smooth and she just loved hearing it.

"That's good to know. I'm glad Bella...really. That means I won't have to...never mind...It's just really good to hear." He said seriously and meant every fucking word.

He didn't like thinking about somebody's hands or lips or anything else touching her. Even if it was before he met her. He was finding he was jealous and possessive where she was concerned. And he loved that he would be the only man to ever kiss her or touch her.

_If she accepted him._

"Really?" She asked with a smile, feeling relieved. She thought guys liked girls with lots of experience.

"Really. I wouldn't lie to you about something like that. You just don't know how happy that makes me." Paul snorted at just how true that statement was.

"Come on...let's find you something to sleep in." He said, once again walking towards his bedroom with Bella following.

He found an old t-shirt and handed it to her.

"Is this okay?" He asked and Bella nodded in response.

"I'll just wait out there while you change. Take your time." He told her and made his way to the kitchen.

He was stalling. He knew it, but he wasn't ready to drop this bomb on her.

Paul had actually been thankful that she had fallen asleep on their way home. It had given him some time to think about what he was going to say to her. He'd racked his brain trying to come up with a way to soften the blow, but came up empty handed. There was no way around it. Telling her about his wolf and the imprint was his only choice.

He grabbed a beer from the refrigerator before taking a seat on the edge of the couch. He took a long swig before he propped his elbows on his knees and dropped his head in his hands.

That's the position Bella found him in when she returned from his room and it caused her a little twinge of fear about their upcoming conversation.

"Paul." She called softly.

He lifted his head slowly, looking in her direction.

"Come sit down. I've got some things to tell you." He said, patting the cushion beside him.

**Sorry about the cliffy! I'd love to know what you think. Oh and check out the banner goldengirl made if you haven't already. Link on my profile page.**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Wow...22 reviews for last chapter! I love every single one of them! Thank you so much! I guess that means y'all aren't too mad at me for that cliffy. Hope this chapter makes up for it. I rushed this chapter as a thank you for all of your kind comments. And again...if you didn't get a response to your review, make sure pm's are enabled. Oh..and I can't respond to guest reviews.**

**Warning: slight tissue warning for the Jake section of this chapter.**

**Thank you, Jessica, for being such an excellent beta! (Hope I cleared up the confusion)**

**And thank you, Breanna, my new prereader! You are amazing! (Hope this one leaves a better impression...lol!)**

**Chapter Seven**

Having just witnessed Paul phasing for the first time, Bella sat on the front porch steps staring blankly out across the yard.

After Paul finished explaining everything to her, she wanted to prove him wrong somehow. So she had asked him to show her, hoping he would be unable to confirm his story, while at the same time knowing that he was telling her the truth. _He wouldn't lie to her. _All of the stories that she and Jake had laughed about as kids were true. And now she was left with several emotions coursing through her...

Disbelief...If it was anybody else, other than Paul or Jake, telling her these things, she would have thought them insane. More than likely, she would have tried to help them find the number to a good psychiatrist.

Fear...but she somehow knew that Paul would never hurt her and wouldn't let anyone else cause her any harm either. But it was scary, nonetheless. Suddenly hearing all of the things you feared as child are real..._Who wouldn't be, at the very least, a little horror-stricken?_

Shock...She had no idea how to respond to something like that. _Werewolves, vampires, and imprints. What was she supposed to say to that?_

Confusion...Not knowing what was expected of her left her in disarray. She was his soul mate. _What exactly does that mean? _He had made it abundantly clear that she still had a choice in all of this. Stressing to her that she held all the cards in her tiny hands, he would be whatever it was she needed him to be...Brother...Friend...Lover. _But, what about his choice? What does he want?_

Relief and happiness...They went hand in hand. She was relieved to finally have an explanation for her feelings regarding Paul. Knowing that she wasn't going crazy was comforting, to say the least.

And, lastly, happiness... She was happy to be his imprint. _How could she not be?_ Knowing that it was up to her how their relationship progressed from here, with the only necessity being that she made some room in her life for him, left her with a good feeling. Going by the things she already knew about him, he was such a great guy. Beautiful, inside and out. She wanted him around for a long time and that thought made her so very happy.

Sure, there were many things she needed to learn, but Bella had always been a good judge of character. She could think of a lot of things that would be worse than being imprinted on by Paul. He was actually quite charming and handsome to boot. Not to mention the many other qualities that made Paul attractive to her. He was kind and funny and always made her feel comfortable, in spite of her innate ability to be shy and awkward.

She wasn't ready to vow to life long commitment, but she wanted to get to know him better. If nothing else, they could at least be very good friends. Although, deep down she recognized that her feelings for Paul were anything but friendly.

The sun was starting to rise when Bella finally broke free from her thoughts and looked out over the yard. Paul was still standing a few feet from the steps where he had been since phasing back to human form. Bella was thankful that he hadn't pushed her; That he had given her some time to work things out in her mind. But it had taken it's toll on him, he looked tired and worried as he looked back at her.

Here before her stands this beautiful man, terrified that she won't be able to accept him. That choice would devastate him. He's begging her with his eyes. Begging her to stay. Begging her not to turn her back on him. Right now, more than anything, he needed her reassurance.

After getting to her feet, she descended the stairs and walked to where he was standing, stopping in front of him. Standing on her tip toes and using his shoulders for support, she leaned in and placed a lingering kiss on his cheek. When she pulled away, his eyes were closed, as if he were savoring the moment.

"We'll work it out...everything will be okay." She said while smiling sweetly at him.

Paul's breath left his body in a loud exhale, finally able to breathe. Words couldn't describe the relief he felt at hearing those words.

Bella left soon after with a promise to see him soon. She was hoping to make it to the Black's home before Charlie arrived.

When she arrived at the house, Billy was the one that answered the door.

"Bella...Everything okay?" Billy asked hesitantly.

Billy knew how shocking news like that could be. He just hoped, for Paul's sake, that she could accept it. _Paul needs Bella in his life. _But Billy had faith. Faith in Bella. She may need a little time to get used to the idea, but she would do the right thing. She wouldn't walk away. And that realization made him smile.

Bella gave him a small smile and nod before looking over his shoulder to find Jake. He was leaning against the counter with his head down, refusing to look at her.

Jake understood that it wasn't just Paul that she would learn about last night. He had been keeping this a secret, from the girl that was supposed to be his best friend for a long time now, - Charlie, the pack, they all had – and that left him feeling ashamed. And the last thing Jake wanted was for her to be mad at him. Even worse: losing her friendship.

Bella knew that Jake would be beating himself up about not telling her, but she understood why he didn't. She wasn't even angry with her dad. This wasn't something that could be made common knowledge. She almost wished that she was still being kept in the dark. But she wasn't, she had seen it with her own eyes. Her eyes were now open to a whole new world; A world she hadn't known existed. _It didn't change anything._ Jacob would always be her best friend. _Forever._

Walking across the kitchen to where he stood, she raised up on her tip-toes and placed a warm kiss on his cheek. Just like she did with Paul.

Jacob looked up, meeting her eyes.

"I'm sorry Bells...I wanted..." He started to say, but she cut him off.

"Shh...it's okay. I understand why you didn't say anything." She said, still looking him in the eye. "I love you Jake." She added, causing his heart to slam against his ribs.

He had been waiting to hear those words from her for so long, but he knew she didn't mean it the way he wanted her to. _She's not yours. _And that thought caused a lump in his throat and made his eyes burn.

"You'll always be my best friend...always Jake...Nothing will ever change that." She continued, clueless to his inner turmoil, stating her earlier thoughts.

Feeling the first hot tear escape from his eye, he pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her and hoping he could hide his pain from her. Minutes passed as he held her tightly against him, with his head resting on hers, not wanting to ever let her go. _Fuck, this hurts._

When he felt her start to pull away, he turned his head quickly and excused himself to the bathroom. Jacob didn't want her to see his tears - his heartbreak. He loved her so fucking much. That would be a secret he would never tell her. Jacob didn't want her to ever feel guilty for not returning his feelings. And he knew she would, if she ever found out.

For Billy, the scene playing out before him was bittersweet. He believed his son had loved her since the moment he laid eyes on her. Watching them grow up together, he never doubted that the two of them would find their way to each other someday. They had always been inseparable. Like two peas in a pod.

Jacob, the more outgoing one; Bella, slightly reserved. Their differences complimented each other well. Growing up, Jacob's carefree personality and zest for life would have gotten him in a heap of trouble if Bella hadn't been there to reel him in. In return, Jacob forced Bella out of her comfort zone. He was partially responsible for many of Bella's long term friendships. She had always been so shy, but Jacob wouldn't allow her to wait on the sidelines. Taking her by the hand and leading the way, he introduced her to everybody he knew. The rest was Bella; Earning everybody's friendship with her kind words and sweet smiles.

Anybody that saw the two of them together felt it was only a matter of time before their relationship progressed. Hell, even Charlie thought so. And Charlie never wanted to think about any boy with his little girl.

So, as Billy sat watching and listening, he felt both happy and sad at the same time. Sad for his son's loss - Nobody knew better than Billy how much Jacob loved her. The happiness came from knowing that Bella would always be there for his son. No matter what. Their friendship meant as much to Bella as it did to Jacob. She loved him just as much as he loved her, only it was a platonic love. And that was enough for Billy.

After Jacob joined them back in the kitchen, Bella offered to make breakfast.

Charlie arrived just as Bella was finishing up. She was thankful she had taken Jacob's advice or she probably would have found herself grounded for the rest of the summer.

After they finished eating, Jacob and Bella walked out to the garage, leaving Charlie and Billy in the house. They made small talk while Bella watched Jake work on his car. Neither of them wanted to talk about anything serious.

When Bella found herself struggling to keep her eyes open, she said her goodbyes and headed home to get some sleep. She hadn't slept at all the night before, other than when she passed out on the ride home from the bar.

Bella had to meet Sue later in the afternoon to discuss her employment. She had been waiting tables at the diner the past couple of summers to make some extra money. She enjoyed working there. Seeing all the town folk and the little elderly couples that came in. With Forks being the small town it is, she knew most of them and loved having the opportunity to catch up. Another bonus: Leah worked there too.

After agreeing to the days and hours she was needed to work, she returned home to cook dinner for her and Charlie. One of the other waitresses was on vacation this week so Sue had asked her if she could work a few long shifts to help out. Since she was needed early in the morning, she wanted to get in bed a little earlier that night.

Over the next few days, she didn't see or talk to anybody other than Leah and Charlie. The long hours had left her exhausted and all she could manage was a shower before falling into bed at night. But that didn't stop her from thinking about Paul. He was the first thing she thought about when she crawled out of bed in the mornings and he stayed in her thoughts until she was in deep slumber. And sometimes, even that couldn't stop it; he visited her dreams as well.

She wondered how he was doing. _What _he was doing. Did he think of her as often as she thought about him? Did he miss her, like she missed him. And miss him, she did. She couldn't wait to see him again. She needed to see him soon. That pull she felt whenever she was away from him was only getting stronger, leaving her feeling antsy.

Paul wasn't doing much better. When Bella left his house that morning, he had felt hopeful that things just might turn out okay. But then as the days went by with no word from her, that feeling went away, replaced by fear. _Had something changed?_

Paul felt anxious. He missed her. _Oh God, did he miss her. _

Her scent was still on his sheets, but now it was fading and that had been the only thing that gave him the strength to keep his distance this long. _Maybe it was all too much for her._

By early afternoon, his desperation for answers led him to Jacob's house, where he learned about her job at the diner.

"Have you talked to her?" Paul asked, wanting to know if she had mentioned anything to him.

"No...Leah said they were short staffed and Bella's been working a lot of hours to help out." Jake answered.

"Ok...thanks man...I'll see you later." He said, before walking back to his truck. He was unsure of what else to say. _Fuck, he needed to see her._

As he was climbing back into his truck, he heard Jake call out to him.

"I'm kinda hungry...what about you?" Jake said and Paul could have fucking kissed him. _Why didn't I think of that?_

With Jacob beside him in the passenger's seat, Paul drove in the direction of the diner.

Paul spotted her as soon as he walked in. It felt so damn good to see her. She was taking an order for a group of high school boys that were trying really fucking hard to get her attention. The only thing that saved them was seeing Bella's body stiffen in response to his presence. _That's right baby. You feel it too._

The ringing of the bell hanging on the door wasn't what made her aware of his presence. Bella felt him the minute he walked through the door. She didn't need to look. But just to confirm her suspicions, she slowly turned her head and peaked over her shoulder. And there he stood. As if her mind had summoned him here.

Paul.

He was here.

**Thanks for reading and please let me know what you think! **


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys! Sorry for the delay in posting. Just after I posted the last chapter, my dog was diagnosed with lymphoma. We decided to do chemo and the cancer has responded well, but then her kidneys started failing so she's been in and out of the hospital. She has improved quite a lot since the beginning, but everyday is different. Anyway, I hope this chapter is worth the wait! And thank you to everybody that reviewed last chapter! I love reading them!**

**Much love and thanks to Breanna3593 for prereading!**

**This chapter is not Beta'd yet...All mistakes are mine. Wanted to get it posted since it's been so long since I updated.**

**Chapter Eight**

Much to Bella's disappointment, Paul and Jake were seated in a different section. The other waitress had got to them before Bella, but that didn't stop her eyes from wandering over to their table every few seconds. Apparently, he was having the same problem as every time she glanced in his direction, their eyes would meet.

Mrs. Rayburn, one of her customer's, learned first hand how distracted Bella was when she overfilled her tea glass by quite a bit, leaving the liquid dripping to the floor.

"I'm so sorry Mrs. Rayburn." Bella said embarrassed by her behavior.

"It's fine Bella dear. I can see why you're so unfocused." The little elderly lady replied knowingly, her gaze darting to Paul. "He's very handsome." she continued, causing Bella to blush.

"Yes...that he is." Bella replied dreamily, looking quickly in his direction once again, only to find him watching her with a smirk on his face.

Realizing that he had probably just witnessed her blunder and possibly heard what she said, Bella quickly diverted her eyes and got busy cleaning up the mess she made.

The next time she risked a glance at their table, she saw him talking to their waitress and giving her that smile Bella loved so much. Jealously raged through her body. She didn't like it...not one bit. _Why would he flirt with Jessica? He could do so much better. _

The guilt set in just as soon as she thought it, making her feel horrible. Bella didn't know Jess all that good, but she liked her and she was very pretty as well.

Paul must have felt her staring at him because he looked over at her just as Jessica walked away. Bella turned away when she heard her name being called.

"Bella, I'm trading tables with you. I need you to take that table." Jessica said to her, pointing at Paul and Jake's table. "And I'm taking that one." She added, pointing to the group of high school boys.

With that statement, the anger and jealousy floated away. She couldn't help smiling at her revelation. He was jealous and maybe...just maybe...he had missed her too.

"Hey guys." Bella said as she leaned in giving Jacob a hug, making Paul wish she felt that comfortable with him.

"Giving Jess a hard time?" She questioned as her gaze landed on Paul, causing Jacob to snort through his nose at the exchange.

Paul watched as she tried really fucking hard and failed to keep from smiling. She knew exactly what he'd done and why and she was calling him out. 'Oh well,' he thought, 'no need trying to hide it.' He didn't like the way those mother fuckers were looking at her. Not to mention, he really wanted to spend some time with her.

_She's not going to let me get away with anything, _Paul realized and that made him happier than it probably should have.

"Nah...We just wanted to see you, Bells." Jake answered, saving Paul once again – or at least that's what he thought until Jacob opened his big mouth again.

"And Paul here showed up at my house looking like somebody had eaten his last cupcake." He continued, causing Bella to glance back at Paul, who was suddenly studying the menu as if it held the answers to all of life's question. "Did you know that Paul has a huge sweet tooth?"

"No. No, I didn't know that." She answered through her laughter.

Paul had no choice but to look up then. He loved the sound of her laugh. Slowly, his eyes met hers and a grin began to stretch across his face. He could handle a little embarrassment if the reward was her laughter.

"Good thing I like to bake." She added. When her brain caught up with her mouth, she blushed profusely and covered her face with her hands. "I did not just say that." She stated to herself out loud.

"Yeah, you really did." Jake answered, followed by an "Ouch!" as Paul's foot connected with his shin.

Paul reached out and gently pulled her hands from her face. "It's a great thing." He told her when she finally looked at him, flashing her a wicked smile.

"Yeah?" She asked, relieved that he didn't seem to mind her assumption that he would want her to bake for him.

"Yeah." He answered, nudging her chin just because he wanted to touch her some more.

In a small town with too few dining establishments, the dinner rush was chaotic, forcing Bella to get back to work much sooner than she had wanted. After agreeing to plans for a picnic and cliff diving later that afternoon, Bella went back to taking orders and refilling drinks.

As they were leaving, Paul watched as the table of boys continued gawking at her and he was pissed. Growling and taking a step forward, he was stopped by a strong hand clamping down on his forearm. _Mother fuckers better learn their fucking place...Quickly. _

"Come on Tyson. All you're gonna do is embarrass her if you go over there...or cause her to lose her job." Jake said seriously.

After taking a few calming breaths, Paul nodded, knowing Jake was right. He didn't want to cause any problems at her job, but they were just asking for it - begging by the looks of it.

"Better get used to it." Jacob added, knowing all to well the attention Bella received from men.

She was a mixture of beauty and innocence – every man's wet dream. And if you were fortunate enough to get to know her, well, that made you a lucky son of a bitch.

Paul's lip raised in response, but he would worry about future assholes later. Right now, he had to do something.

"I'll see you in a little while Bella." He called out to her, sending a look of warning to the guys. _Maybe that will give them a hint._

That seemed to catch their attention. Almost instantly, they took notice of the intimidating figure that was Paul. Unnaturally tall and muscular, wearing a murderous look directed directly at them. It only took a second for them to heed his warning, turning their attention away from Bella and back to their food. _I guess they're smarter than they look._

As he stepped up to the register, he caught sight of Bella, grinning and shaking her head at his little display of possessiveness. He smirked in response.

_Yeah, definitely not going to get away with anything._

Growing up alone meant he had never learned to share and he wasn't about to start now. _Mine. _The sooner people were educated about that, the better.

Later that afternoon, as Paul arrived at the cliffs, he heard Jacob and Bella having, what appeared to be a serious conversation.

"No way." Jacob told her.

"You can't tell me what to do. I'm older than you." She said back to him, obviously upset with Jake.

It made Paul feel like a jackass for getting turned on watching her stand up to a werewolf and loving that she wasn't intimidated by that knowledge. She still viewed them all the same way she had before she learned what they were. And that impressed him.

"No." Jake growled with finality.

"What's going on?" Paul interrupted, after adjusting himself, disliking the way Jacob was talking to her.

"She," he stated, pointing at Bella, "wants to jump off of that cliff." He continued, pointing at the edge of the cliff, as if it he couldn't believe that someone invited to go cliff diving would actually want to do it. Paul almost laughed at the irony.

"Oh." Paul replied, thankful that this was Jacob's argument and not his. He really didn't want her to jump. As a matter of fact, his heart was jack hammering in his cheat at the thought of it.

"Yeah...Oh." Jacob responded sarcastically, rolling his eyes at Paul. _Chicken shit. Thanks for your help._

"Oh Jake, but I wanna jump too." Bella said sweetly, batting her eyelashes at him. Jake had to look away, knowing that he'd give in if she kept looking at him like that. He never had been very good at saying no to her and she knew it. It was a miracle he'd managed to hang on this long.

_There's no way he'll be able to resist now_, thought Paul. However, just as he finished thinking it, Jake surprised him.

"It's too high up...I'll go with you off the lower one in a little bit. I just don't want you getting hurt." He replied, placing his hands on her shoulders and giving her a little shake, doing his best to placate her.

Bella finally agreed, but she wasn't happy about it. She knew Jake meant well, but she didn't understand why he was so against her jumping. It was safe to assume that it wasn't all that dangerous when everybody else returned unscathed.

Thinking everything was settled and he had won, Jacob announced, "Let's eat. I'm starving."

That was his first mistake. Unknowingly, he'd provided a distraction, giving Bella a chance to slip away undetected. She couldn't believe how easy this was going to be. His second mistake being that he seemed to have forgotten who he was dealing with.

They had been one upping each other for years. Like the time Quil convinced Jake to sneak out with him. Bella had begged Jake to let her go with him, but an unspoken promise between him and Charlie had Jake refusing. It was an understanding that Jake would always look out for Bella and he wasn't willing to lose Charlie's trust over one of Quil's stupid ideas. On top of that, there was the possibility of them getting caught and Bella would spend her summer grounded. And Jacob wouldn't risk it – losing what miniscule amount of time he had with her during the summer.

So he'd flat out lied to her – telling her he'd changed his mind and wasn't going. Since he'd never lied to her before, she had no reason not to believe him. To prove it further, he'd even invited her to sleep over, but when Bella woke in the middle of the night, Jacob was gone.

At first, Bella's feelings were hurt. Of course, after Jacob explained his reasoning behind it, she'd forgiven him, unable to stay mad knowing their time together was special to him. They had laughed about it later, but that incident was a turning point in their friendship. Since then, the pranks and the teasing had only gotten worse.

But what Bella failed to notice as she walked off quietly to strip down to her bathing suit, was that there was one wolf here that couldn't be distracted by food. He would always be watching. Nothing would ever be more important to him than her. Especially her safety.

With his eyes never losing sight of her, he watched as she made her way closer to the edge before stopping to glance around, apparently to ensure that nobody was privy to her plan. _Game on, little girl. Game on. Show me what you've got. _

Meanwhile, Paul had retreated from the group and was waiting, unnoticed, near the cliff's edge.

When Bella was convinced that she was in the clear, she turned and ran as fast as she could, but just as she reached the edge, warm arms wrapped around her from behind, effectively stopping her.

"Oh no, pretty girl...That's so not fucking happening." Paul's deep, gravelly voice spoke softly into her ear.

Twisting in his arms, she raised those big, brown eyes of hers to his, poking her bottom lip out in a pout. It was the most pitiful face he'd ever seen.

"I'm sorry...I just...You can't..." He trailed off, trying to explain why he couldn't let her jump by herself. But that face. That face had rendered him speechless.

Reluctantly, Paul released her and she jumped before Paul gained back his thinking ability, leaving him standing there dumbfounded. She'd just played him like a fucking guitar string. And he couldn't even bring himself to be upset about. _A sneaky little player. That's what she is. _

And now his ego needed a boost. Everybody had just witnessed how easily he'd given in to her.He would have to rectify the situation. _Paul Lahote was no sucker._

He quickly jumped in after her, too concerned to enjoy the fall. Hitting the water, he immediately found Bella and reached for her hand, pulling her against him. His legs pushed hard against the water, propelling them upwards.

As they broke the surface, she was smiling and laughing, almost making Paul forget about how she'd suckered him. Almost.

Deciding a little payback was in order, Paul put on a serious face and pretended to be upset.

"That was a really mean thing you did up there, Bella." Paul told her, tilting his head back towards the cliff. "I mean..come on, playing me in front of my friends." He added, watching her smile drop from her face.

"I didn't mean... I was just." She tried to explain, looking absolutely distraught. And when Paul saw the slightest quiver of her chin, all games were off.

"I'm joking." Paul stated, as Bella's eyes dart between his, gauging the truth of his words. "Just trying to get my balls back." He finished.

Laughter bubbled up from deep within her and Paul soon joined in. She laughed until tears streamed down her face. And Paul was convinced it was the best sound he'd ever heard.

Soon though, the laughter died down and it was as if they both, only now, became aware of their position – their bodies wrapped around each other. They had drifted closer to shore allowing Paul to touch bottom, but he wasn't ready to release her. His hands were still gripping her thighs just above where they wrapped around his waist and her arms were locked around his neck, her chest brushing against his with each movement of the water.

"You feel so good in my arms, sweet girl." Paul told her, as he stared into her eyes, his hands tightening around her thighs, causing both of their breathing to speed up. "Like you fucking belong there." He continued, lost in the feel of her body against his, watching as her eyes dropped to his mouth and she licked her lips.

"You wanna kiss me, baby?" He asked, causing her eyes to snap back to his and a sexy blush to stain her cheeks.

Bella's mouth opened and closed a few times before finally taking a deep breath and nodding hesitantly, almost as if she was afraid that he didn't want the same thing. _I want, baby. I most definitely want._

Slowly releasing one of her legs, he lifted his hand to the side of her neck, pulling her to him. When their lips met, both pulled back slightly, gasping, as unexpected feelings assaulted their bodies. After catching their breath, Paul's hand slid to the back of her neck, gripping her hair and pulling her face back to his, pressing his lips softly to hers – once, twice, and a third time before he felt her tongue on his lips.

His other hand moved to her waist, gripping her tightly as he opened up to her and their tongues touched for the first time.

"Mmm." He moaned, when he felt her little hands fist the ends of his hair and she pushed her body flush against his.

And then suddenly, her lips were gone.

When Paul opened his eyes, he sees her staring are him with a curious expression. Realizing she must have felt the affect her kiss had on him, he gave her a sexy smirk.

"Just ignore it...It just means I like your kisses." He stated huskily, without any shame. If she was going to kiss him like that all the time, she'd have to get used to it.

"Really?" She asked with a smile, happy that he enjoyed the kiss.

"Really." He answered, thinking that was the best kiss he'd ever had. "Hey, do you...um...you want to head over to my house?" He asked, hoping to spend more time with her. "We could order pizza or something. There's probably not anything left up there." Paul finished, trying really hard not to give her the wrong impression.

"Sounds good to me." Bella answered quickly, reaching for Paul's hand and leading them out of the water. Just like Paul, she wasn't ready to say goodbye yet.

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